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How To Configure Itch.io App For HiDPI Displays on Linux

  • Adam Douglas

I decided recently to explore the itch.io app that I’ve been reading about lately. I quickly installed the application via the AUR repository under the package name “itch”. I found out quickly that the app doesn’t handle HiDPI (high dots per inch) displays well. So I started to explore the settings and found nothing. I assumed that the app maybe Chrome / Chromium based and if not Electron based. I tried the to create the following files to see if the itch.io app would recognize the config flag I set.

  • ~/.config/chrome-flags.conf
  • ~/.config/chromium-flags.conf
  • ~/.config/electron-flags.conf
  • ~/.config/electronjs-flags.conf

Each file contains the following.

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--force-device-scale-factor=2

Unfortunately none of these files had any affect on the itch.io app. After doing some further research into the problem I confirmed that itch.io app is Electron based.

Here is how I resolved the problem.

Environment

  • Arch Linux x86_64 kernel 5.13.4-arch1-1
  • BASH v5.1.8(1)
  • GNOME Shell v40.3.0
  • GDM v40.0
  • itch.io app v25.5.1 / v1.26.0
  • WaylandEnable=false (disabled in /etc/gdm/custom.conf)

Assumptions

  • ~ (tilde) represents the $HOME (/home/username) of the current user when using BASH
  • Steps prefixed with a “$” (dollar sign) represents the CLI (command-line interface) prompt
  • Steps prefixed with a “#” (number sign) represents the CLI prompt with elevated user permissions (e.g. root)
  • The text after the “$” or “#” is to be entered at the CLI

Problem

The itch.io app doesn’t appear to have a setting via the graphical user interface (GUI) to adjust the DPI scale when used on a HiDPI display.

Solution

The scale value of 2 shown below can be changed to what is personally desired. Floating point values can be used (e.g. 1.75).

Solution / One (recommended)

Create a desktop entry file per user basis to override the system wide desktop entry file as follows.

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$ nano ~/.local/share/applications/io.itch.itch.desktop

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[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=itch
TryExec=itch
Exec=itch --force-device-scale-factor=2 %U
Icon=itch
Terminal=false
Categories=Game;
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/itchio;x-scheme-handler/itch;
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
Comment=Install and play itch.io games easily

Solution / Two

Edit the system wide desktop entry file.

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# nano /usr/share/applications/io.itch.itch.desktop

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Exec=itch --force-device-scale-factor=2 %U

Info

Application updates will overwrite the desktop entry file.

Feel free to contact me if you have any suggestions or issues you would like to share with me.

I’m publishing this as part of 100 Days To Offload. You can join in yourself by visiting 100DaysToOffload.com.

    • add tag hidpi
    • fix broken link
    • change topic
    • remove tag, hidpi, support
    • change topic

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